Telegram-herald., 1887-11-02

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- r4sy. a. - sa4sa s.. eeea 1-fs
= iFea 8 1eFfeas pe.aca .ee ksrEcEs tes
fpsa ga4 hssl4sly "a ela tzi zntal1s
fzy = ausael ~ Us neasssrs vsse FlHssea
- a1osIa4 le eolzs- - stTst.414 .ass 1eafe-s
lsslasaE sgaln-l sSs ssl.s la sseGf sslsei fat.s
Bsls.t.ls 4ll s,ssd sa1 ssaaes 4as 81 lof
sn- ssl.zsf 4sBt eeusztsd - = aos ar t"e. =
6euli 11n - u4esr = closn 50 lsesarefs oat,
zsd several boxes - cln.iss taer4 81
Etzs pssss5s5. TIA horses Eeais were
ttsIassi dssa tae Sss C5sDrei vaElsY, taeAr4
TIE Old Bisssen q thst naae - rcd
sil.is thFooga grange groves. taxing - -
EzGeaes az.d p.sees ~a4re - casa .aF.ses
cf tk- straage possibilities st tbs eei...sil II
climate Ihs l..aaaz gfous sac br SIDE ". a
tas seqls, tae he@, taniariaa. zsssa. hs.
dsle. palm. pear e.. s4eaisrcus seqils q,
cedar ~ Lesah0u aHd many E4sfs. represent
nz az TIE Ecsa. bel.s
There, ssid my companion. pointing 20 a
stfeseh q clsas country faas pa - Up
tossr1s the hills. Is fstca tls- cantaiI.s
spiders enough C stick tae wao.s I aitei
States
Tie horses were fastened 10 live cek, The
hoes ana dean john were shoulders -,l nnd soon
ground Rad net been piosed for years snd
appeared 20 o. parts edooa, ~ltA here sni
tLere tie yellow earth - e9nrnOu aad rieh
IN tks valley. The inevltabls gopher was
every here apparent. here b his holes or
burrows and there by tas same tAat had but
recently been filed from bslov--a trick the
gopher i well Up 70. lt IS said that new
conner in southern California always ds.ev-
a
eeeds 10 pat the garden hose into a burrow
and turn GA tue water | confess once TO
have attempted this myself
IA TEE GOPHER HOLES
"Keep your eyes on the gopher holes, said
my companion, and when you see a web
over one let mo know
He was the first, however, 70 make dis
coyery On the edge of a hole appeared
the empty skin Of tarantula, the inmate
having evidently jus. she'd its coat The
dernl ;ohn was uncnrked a stream directed IN,
and in half a minute out rushed a hairy
monster, its br.stles, for such they seemed.
cleaning with crystal drops. He paused at
the opening and brushed away the water, ap-
parenty astonished, and then, evidently
catching sight of the enemy, dartei OF IN a
numbering spider canter over the stubble.
The heat was short one, and be made for
cover, falling into the tin prison placed in his
way This spider was OF a dark red hue and
had a spreal Of six inches
In q short walk from here another hole was
found, also that Of a gopher or kangaroo
rat, which showed 'tarantula signs, and had
a web across the entrance. \ quart OF water
produced no spider. so the hoe was brought
into play. and two feet down a sleepy, dusty
spider appeared, evidently very much amazed
at being dug out so unceremoniously. The
water had not reached him. having gone of
in an opposite direction through a side shoot.
This spider resembled the other except in
color and its feet, that is from casual observa-
tion. Its color vas black and its feet were
simply pads, without what any unscientific
person would call toe, that was part of
the foot ornamentation OF the other. When
thoroughly aroused and teased it showed de-
cided signs of anger and retaliation biting
fercely ~ stick. yet it would have re-
treated if This had been allowed.
HABITS OF THE TARASTULA
In an acre large number OF tarantulas
were found. some very ugly, others very
mild, but all. rs rule. very vicious, hideous
and cowarilv. 1t would seem that, like many
other animals, they are prowlers, taking up
with toe holes OF other animals as their
homes, and. according to my companion,
filing them mp 20 suit their wants and cover
ing them M during the day or closing the
| entrance with light web, coming out per-
/, haps at night or toward night to waylay
other small animals. From the fact that nu-
merous remains OF tarantuas were found in
tho nests, my companion inferred that they
| were cannibais and lived upon one another;
| but think this is not wholly true, and tha
| dismem.erod parts were often bits of old dis
| carded moults. This spider is large enough
| 70 deal with humming bird with ease, or
| a small sparrow, ana | believe that it preys
upon large insects. lizards, perhaps, or any
| game II can obtain. Ay companion had ob-
served one evidently eating a minute plant,
and perhaps these succulens bits OF vegetable
matter were quite TO its taste.
It is the general impression in California
among those persons who have not niade the
subject a special study, that the .arantula. 50
called, is a trap door spider and in all the Gu
riosity shops, where the curious traps are for
sale. tho tarantula is sold as the builder. and
| il male and female are wanted. a black and
red tarantula are provided. though my com
panion had observed a red tarantula shed its
/ skin and appear in a black costume. from
which ho inferred that the co.ors were due Il
age The gigantic tarantisla Is known to sci
/ ence rs a member Of tho sub-order Tetra
pneumonia. and belongs to she family Nigga
| lidae. from is size It can never he confused
with others. and the real trapioor spider i.
never or rarely seen ia the shops. Pasadena q
| Cor New York Post.